Artist Statement

Naturally occurring fractal elements of spirals, branching effects, and subtle curving lines are all very common motifs in my work. I draw a lot of inspiration from the fine linework of the art deco and art nouveau movements, integrating the spirals and patterns I find in nature into metal and glass. Working primarily in copper and brass, I strive to take a closer look at the world around me and at the organisms that inhabit it. I am fascinated by the small occurrences in nature that often go unrecognized or unappreciated. I see beauty and am captivated by the things I find on my walks, from fallen cicadas and oddly formed leaves, to tree roots that have twisted their way around concrete and fences. These inspire my work, as I investigate the life cycles and incredible metamorphosis of insects such as dragonflies and moths, as well as death and its place in an ecosystem.

My current body of work delves into the familiar and unfamiliar, with deep sea creatures often finding their way into wearable adornment. They bring with them the desire to share my long term fascination with deep sea aquatic life, pulling these creatures up from the depths to share them with people and acting as another lens to see them as opposed to just sensationalized terror. Many of these animals live very solitary lives, only being revealed through a rare camera or at the end of their lives, when they are washed up by ocean currents.

The underlying impetus of my work is to address the sense of loss we are experiencing as environmental degradation affects what can be seen and reached in our day to day lives, as well as in ways that are harder to see. My work brings attention to what could be lost.